Switch-rail guard



F. C. ANDERSON.

SWITCH RAIL GUARD. APPLICATION FILED N0v.12,192|.v

1,414,767 .Patented May 2,1922.

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Y @y f@ f A TTORNE Y' ull/1111111 m STITCH-B-AIL GUARD.

iff-rarer.

Soecication of Letters Patent,

Patented May 2, 1922,

Application filed November 12, w21. Serial No. 514,773.

lation to point-rail switches thus having objects, such as chains, headed rods or bolts, accidentally dropped and dragged by the trains, forced between the outside siding or turn-out rail and the adjacent point-rail in trailing direction, forcing this point-rail open sufficiently to admit the flanges ot a train passing in the opposite or facing direction and thus causing derailment ot' this subsequent train. A further object is to ailord a positive movement ofthe guarding element into and out of guarding position,

tor use of the main line and the siding or turn-out; and it also is an object to etfect this movement automatically incident to the throwing' oi the switch. Other objects will appear in the course ot the ensuing descrip-` tion.

I attain these objects by the dev-ice illustrated, for example, in the accompanying drawing, in which- VFigure 1 is a general plan view of parts ot a point-rail switch with my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation ot the saine, part oi the point-rail being omitted to reveal the guard element and its supporting means;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan` View of the guard element' and adjacent parts, corresponding to Fig. 1;

Fig. d is a similarly enlarged side elevau tion corresponding to Fig. 2, dottedlines indicating a different position of the parts;

Fig. 5 is a vertical Cross-section on the planes of the broken line 5-5 of 4l gl Fig. 6 is a detail bottom plan view ot the guard element; and

F ig. 7 is a detail perspective view of one of the idler arms. p

Bart ot the usual point-rail switch is shown, the siding or turn-out rail 1 being continuous with the main-line rail extending to the switch in facing direction and the main-line point-rail 2 being against the rail 1 when the switch is closed for main-line use as shown. The other side of the track is not shown, but the brace-rods 3 and 4 are seen, ixed tothe point-rail 2, and it will be under` stood that these are fixed to the opposite point-rail not shown, causing the two rails to move in unison when the switch is thrown. rThe rod 3 nearest the point ot the rail 2 extends out and has connected to its outer end the connecting-rod 5, as usual, which will be understood to be connected to the operating mechanism ot a suitable switch-stand of any kind, not shown. The -two cross-ties 6 and 7, flanking the brace-rod 8 and connecting rod 5, also extend out past the other cross-ties 8, tor supporting the switch-stand, as usual. As is well understood, the siding continuous rail 1 is spiked in fixed condition on the ties 6, 7 and 8, and the point-rail, articulated to the continuation ot the main-line rail beyond the switch to the lett, not shown, is slidably supportedon plates 9 fixed to the ties 6, 7 and 8.

ln the preferred construction of my invention as shown, a plate 10 is provided, ot cross-section to lit snugly against one side,

preferably the inner side, ot the siding-railr 1, under the ball or head 11 and over the base or flange 12 and against the web 13 of this rail (Fig. rlhis plate is of suitable length, receiving studs 14 through openings in the plate near opposite ends thereof, at such a height that these studs 14; will extend out through registering openings bored in the web 13 ot the rail 1, at about midway of the height ot the web. Nuts 15 are screwed onto the outer ends o'lg the studs lfl, clamping the plate 10 and rail-web 13 together between tliese nuts and shoulders 16 formed on the studs 1 4 and coming against the exposed side ot the plate 10, past which the studs 14 extend with enlarged diameter, toward the point-rail 2, ending in heads 17. rlhe sli-att 18 extends through an. opening about midway ot the length ot the plate 10 and through a. registering opening in the rail-web 13; which plate and web thus form one bearing for the shaft 18. The shaft Ipreferably is located somewhat below the studs le, to

avoid placing all ot the holes in alinement in` the rail-web 13 and thus unduly weakening the rail 1. The plate 10 reinforces this rail where it thus is bored; and this plate affords a templet tor the correct location of the holes in this rail.

CTX

The guard element 19 is lan elongated boc y, preferably ot malleable cast iron, tapering to contorni approximately with the adjacent sides of the head 11 of the sidingrail 1 and the head 20 of the main-line pointrail 2, but be spaced an easy working distance therefrom at its opposite sides, at such a location along the rails that its wider end sufliciently fills a space between the diverging rails which is too wide to catch the largest object liable to be dragged between these rails by a passing train as before mentioned; and this element 19 is made long enough to fill the space between the rails sufficiently, for such a distance that, at its narrower enf., the space will be too narrow to catch the smallest object thus dragged and liable, if caught, to wedge open the point-rail 2. Thus proportioned and located, the element 19 has its top substantially fiat and smooth and designed to lie approxt mately in the plane of the tops of the rails 1 and 2; rather below than above the tops, since ii above, it will receive the pressure ot the train wheels. At its wider end, this element preferably has a pair of arms 21, between which a roller 22 is journaled on a transverse pin 23 in the arms. This roller 22 preferably has Vits Jac'e considerably crowned, or beveled from its middle both ways, and is journaled low enough for its uppermost part to escape the pressure of the train wheels, yet high enough to be engaged by any object dragged as before mentioned, and deflect the object to one side or the other, over the adjacent rail 1 or 2, or else up onto the top of the element 19, instead ci allowing such object to catch under the end oi? tho element and tear up the guard.

rllhe operating arm 241 is fixed on the shaft 18 where the latter jrojects in past the plate 'l0 toward the point-rail 2, preferably by a round lrey 25 and a pin 2G through the hub of the arm and the shaft. lThe hub spaces the arm 241A out to the middle o1 the space between the rails, and the guard element 19 projected downabout midway oi its length, having a recess thereat receivln1` the 'free end part oit the arm 24- between the lateral sides of the recess, through which a pin 27 passes transversely and is embraced by the ree end part of' this arm. The radius of this arm 24C is such that when the element 19 has its top about even with the rail tops as before described, the arm 241- inclines over in the direction of rail convergence, or to the right as shown. in the drawings. To bear against the upper side of this inclined arm, or left side as here shown, the element 19 has the adjacent end of the recess inclined, forming the bearing surface 28 conforming to this side of the arm 2li.

The idler arms 29 and 30 swing loosely on the respective studs 1.4i, and are confined thereon by the stud heads `17, and project heilige? into recesses in the bottom of the element 19, being suitably spaced from the plate 10 by their hubs of lengths to correspond to the difference in width oit the space between the rails at their locations. Pins 31 pass through the lateral sides of the recesses and through the received end parts oi the arms 29 and 80. yllhese idler arms are of the saine radius as the operating arms 2e, and their pivoting in the guard-element recesses is at such a height that, although these arms are journaled higher on the rail 1 and plate 10 than the operating arm 24, all the arms incline at the same angle, as described 'for the arm 24:. Also, the left ends of the recesses have inclined bearing surfaces 32 to rest on the upper or left hand sides of these idler arms 29 and 30 in this position of the parts.

This is the position required of the guard element 19 when the switch is thrown for main-line travel, with the point-rail 2 against the siding or continuous rail 1. When thc switch is opened for entrance to the siding or turn-out, moving the point-rail 2 away from the rail 1, and the flanges oit the train wheels must pass along the rail 1, the guard element 19 is lowered to a position where its top will not be engaged by the flanges, to avoid injury to the guard element. This is accomplished by a partial rotation ot the shaft 1S over to the lett, or in direction ot rail divergence, {irs-t raising the element 19 somewhat above the rails 1 and 2 and then carrT ing it down to the required lower posi tion as indicated by the dotted lines in F 4. To afford a positiv stop and supportA for the element in this lowered position, wheren in, as shown, the arms 24, 29 and 30 are down almost to a horizontal position, the bottom ot the element 19 has a recess 33 curved to onto the now upturned sideot the hub oi the arm 2li, and similar r` s 34 to fit onto the hubs of the idler a1 is l and 30. The connection of the operating arm 24; to the element 19 far enough be low the top olf the element to leave ample thickness or depth oi the element at its recess 33:, but the connections of the arms 29 and 30 being higher in the element, the hubs ot the arms 29 and 30 have recesses S5 admitting the flanges 36 left at opposite lateral sides of the guard-element recesses 84 next to the arm connections therein. These hubs preferably are enlarged on their' sides opposite these recesses, as shown, to compensate for the weakening caused by the recesses, as at 37. Between the parts having the armreceiving recesses, the bottom oi* the guard element 19 is recessed. to give it an inverted channel cross-section, with side flanges 38, so that the element is light, yet amply strong 'for resisting guarding and operating strains. So that it may be used either fora righthand turn-out, as here shown, or for a left hand turn-out, the guard element 19 is made Ill() symmetrical in a transve 1se sense; the recesses 33 and 34 being continued entirely across the bottom, to rest on the respective arm hubs whether the hubs project to the one side or the other of the element.

The device is so located along the rails 1 and 2 that the shaft 18, at its middle, lies about along the middle of one of the ties 8. rlhis avoids weakening of the siding rail 1 between two ties, and permits the shaft 18 to have an outer support in a bearing-block 39 spiked or screwed to the top of the tie 8 near its end, with the shaft 18 extending past this block 39 and receiving a crank 49 keyed thereon by a screw 41 and swinging down along the end of the tie 8 with a fork 42 straddling the crank arm and pivoted thereto by a pin transversely through the arm and the fork members. This crank 40 is so positioned on the shaft that it swings about equally past a vertical line in rotating the shaft 18 the required amount for raising or lowering the element 19 as before described. A. rod 43, which may be tubular, for lightness and strength, is xed in the fork 42 and extends therefrom along the ends of intervening ties 8 and over the top of the nearer long tie or head-block G that supports the switch-stand as before described. A bell-crank with two arms 44 and 45 is fulcrumed in a bracket 46 spiked or screwed to the top of the tie G to swing hori- Zontally; the arms being about 9()o apart in their connections, respectively, to the rod 43 by a fork 47 similar to the fork 42 at its opposite end, and to a fork 48 that is offset downwardly and connected to one end of a rod 49 similar to the rod 43 but extending transversely of the track inwardly under the rails 1 and 2, where it has a fork50 at its opposite end straddling and pivoted 'to a bracket 51 riveted or bolted to the main brace-rod The radii of the bell-crank arms 44 and 45 and of the crank 40 are such, with relation to the radius common to the arms 24, 29 and 3() of the guard-element 19, that the latter is moved completely from one position to the other by throwing the switch one way or the other; and are so positioned that the element 19 is lowered when the siding is opened, and raised when the siding is closed, for main-line travel. The bearings of the arms 24, 29 and 39 are loose enough to make the slight angularity of the sidingrail 1 to the center-line of the guard-element 19 negligible, either for right or left-hand turn-out use; and similarly, the bearings at the crank 40 and the bell-crank arm 44, for the connections of the rod 43, are loose enough to make negligible the effect of the two cranks turning in different planes. Ample clearance is left between all the parts, so that the installation is very simple, yet effective for closing that part of the space between the diverging rails which is liable to receive and hold such dragging objects as before mentioned.

lt will be apparent that the element can be made longer, to extend farther toward vthe meeting of the rails 1 and 2, thus eX- cluding even smaller dragged objects, or to extend farther inthe opposite direction, thus excluding larger objects, or may be eX- tended farther in both these directions, with both results. Or it may be shorter than here shown; and may have more or fewer supporting or idler arms such as the arms 29 and 30, according to its length or the degree of stability desired for its support. Instead of the indirect connection of the device to the switch-stand as here indicated, the connection may be made directly to a part of the switch-stand crank, as will be readily understood by those familiar with the art; or it may be directly connected to the pointrail 2, either near 4the point thereof, or close to the guardlocation, with the operative connection proportioned to afford the right degree of up and down guard movement from the varying point-rail degree of movement at` various points therealone. manual switch-operation of the guard up and down is preferred to a yielding mounting forthe guard, to be overcome by the pressure of the wheel flanges, as less liable to derangement. Also, the use of the guard between the outside turn-out rail and adjacent point-rail is far-more important than such anse between the opposite continuous main-line rail and the turn-out point-rail,

which is open for main line use and not liable to catchendangering objects. However, it will be seen that my invention is adaptable to these modified operations and uses, as well as other modifications in structure, proportions, operations and uses. in connection with prevention of accidents such as described. Therefore, while certain const-ructional details are deemed preferable in connection with my invention, and l have shown and described these rather specifically in elucidating the construction and use of my invention, as is required, l do not wish to be understood as beinglimited to such precise showing and description, but

Having thus fully described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A guard element, mcansfor mounting said guard element between diverging rails of a switch, and a roller at one end of said guard element. v 5

2. An elongated tapered guard element to occupy the space between diverging rails of a switch, and means Yto movably but posi-r The tively hold said element with its top Asuba switch, and means to hold said element with its top substantially in the plane oiE the tops of said rails or to move said element a substantial distance below said rail tops.

4f.. in elongated tapered guard element to occupy the space between divergino rails of a switch, and means to hold saic element vith its top substantially in the plane of the tops of said rails or to swing said element in direction oi' rail divergence a substantial distance below said rail tops.

5. An elongated tapered guard element to occupy the space between diverging rails ot a switch, and a roller at the wider end of guard element.

6. guard element to occupy the space between diverging rails of a switch, and a roller at one end ot said guard element, having` a crowned periphery.

7. A guard element to occupy the space between diverging rails of a switch, and having one end constructed to fend objects sidewise or upward.

8. A guard element, and a plurality ot swinging arms connected to said element ltor move-blyy mounting said guard element between diverging rails of a switch.

9. A guard element to occupy the space between diverging rails oi a switch., a swinging arm connected to said element, and a shaft connected to said arm for swinging said arm.

10. A guard element, and means tor mounting said guard element between diverging rails et a switch, to hold said element up in guarding position, or to move said element up and then down in direction of rail divergence to a wheel-dange-escaiiing position, or up and then down in direction of rail convergence to said guarding position.

11. A guard element7 and means for mounting said guard element between diver-ging rails of a switch, to hold said element in guarding position, or to move said element to wheel-iange-escaping position and to return said element to said guarding position by a movement of the element from said escaping position past said guarding position and by a continued movement baci; toward the escaping position.

12. fr guard element, and means for movably mounting said guard element on the outside turn-out rail next to the adjacent point-rail ot' a switch.

13. A guard element, and means tor mounting said guard element on the outside turn-out rail nez-lt to the adjacent point-rail of a switch. for movement to a position with its top substantially in the plane of the rail tops or to a position with its top a substantial wheel-ilange-escaping distance below said rail tops.

14. A guard element to occupy the space reiziger.

between diverging rails of; a switch. one ot which rails is movable, a swinging arm connected to said element, a shaft connected to said arm 'for swinging said arm, a crank fixed to said shaft, a rod pivoted to said crank.y and means to move said rod tor swinging said arm and moving said guard element when said rail is moved.

15. L guard element to occupy the spacebetween diverging rails of a switch, one ot' which rails is movable, a swinging arm connected to said element, a shaft connected to said arm for swinging said arm, to extend along the top of one oi the cross-ties oi" the switch, toward an end of the tie, a crank fixed on said shaft for swinging along said end of said tie, a rod pivoted to said crank to entend up over another cross-tie t re switch, a bell-crank tulcrumed on this other tie with one arm pivoted to said rod, and another rod pivotcd to another arm of said bell-crank and offset downward therefrom ttor connection below the level ot the tops ci the ties to a part that moves when said rail is moved.

16. n. guard element having a recess in its bottomA7 and an arm pivoted in said recesss to swing said element up or down between two switch rails, said arm swinging over' past vertical position to hold said element in a raised position, and said recess having one side shaped to bear on one side oi? said arm when said element is in said raised position.

17. A guard element having a recess in its bottom, and an arm, pivoted to said element and having a hub, and swinging said element up to guarding position5 or swinging said element down from said guarding position with said hub ot said arm received in said recess,

in. .-fr guard element having a recess in its bottom with a strengthening flange at one` side ot said roce and an arm pivoted to said element and having a hub with a recess in one side, and swinging said cie nent up to guarding position, or swinging said element down. from saitL `guarding position with said hub oi? iid arm received in said recess oii said element and said Harige ogt said element received in said recess oi said hub.

1i). A guard element, an operating arm pivoted to said element to swing the element into and out of guarding position7 and an idler arm pivoted to said clement to maintain said element substantially parallel with a switch-rail top in either position.

20. A guard element, and a plurality oft' arms pivoted to said element to raise or lower said element.,1 said arms swinging up and then down past a vertical position to bring` said element into its iinal raised position.

FRANK C. ANDERSON. 

